Container for music-rolls and the like



0. s. BURTON.

CONTAINER FOR MUSIC ROLLS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1919.

Patented Aug". 16, 1921.

UNITED, STATESVF' PATENT OFFICE.

CONTAINER FOR MUSIC-ROLLS AND THE LIKE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1c, 1921.

Application filed September 15, 1919. Serial No. 323,827.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known'that I, CHARLES S. BURTON, a citizen vof the United States, anda resident of Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Containers for Music-Rolls and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved container, particularly adapted for such articles as music rolls and the like, of which the containers are commonly stacked in piles or tiers W th thejends only accessible, so that it is desirable to have the contents withdrawable through the end of the container. It consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated in. the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a container embodying this invention, the same being shown in closed position and with a music roll contained therein.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the pipe when'the closure has been swung open to cause and permit the roll to be ejected, the latter being shown partly protruded, positioned to be grasped by the hand forcompleting its withdrawal.

; Fig. 3 is a section at the line, 33, on

between the closed end and the telescoped closure when the latter is thrust in to closed position. It is desirable that the roll be slightly protruded when the closure is withdrawn, so that it may be grasped by the hand without the necessity of intrudlng the fingers into the box, or using an implement to reach the roll for drawing it out. It is. also important to avoid liability of catching the head of the -roll on the endof the box when thrustingit back into the latter.

It is also important that the roll shall be secured in the box when it is thrust fully thereinto, and the closureis in place, without liability to. falling out in carrying the box if it should happen to be carried by the end having the closure downward.

These several purposes are accomplished by the construction shown in which there is employed a strap,- 4, secured at one end to the body of the box at one side of the roll, most conveniently, as shown, the upper side, the strap belng adapted to extend from its attachment to the box within the box back contents :of the box thence forward on the opposite sidefrom that at which it is se "around theinner end of the'roll or other i I contents of the box out of the open end at a .1.

sufficient distance to enable said contents to be seized for further complete withdrawal. In thus pulling upon the strap which is looped around the rear end of the contents when said content is a music roll or spool having a round head, the flexible strap is liable to become slipped off sidewise around the round head of the spool, and thereby disengaged from the spool; or when not completely disengaged, it is liable to become wedged between the spool head and the side of theblock so as to draw upon thelatter only at one side, and with such difliculty as not to operate properly for expelling the spool and with liability of injury to the box in attempting. to force the spool out by means of it. To avoid this difiicultythere is provided a follower, 5, which is a substantially rectangular block fitting the'ibox so as-not to'be liable to turn therein, and

presenting at least at its upper and lower sidesparallel edges around which the strap is folded without liability of being swerved oil" to either side, when being drawn longitudinally for expelling the spool. For positioning this follower in the box,'that is, for holding it in a. position transverse to the length of the box and prevent it from falling down fiat or becoming Y swung around to one side, it is provided with two lateral guide wings, 5 5, which may be pieces of cardboardor other material of which the box is made, or of any suitably stiif sheet material. To prevent the spool head from being stopped. by engagement with abrupt forward ends of these wings, 5, said wings are not made abrupt at their forward ends, but are sloped by being provided with a deep angular notch, seen at 5 inFig. 2, so that the spool head encountering these sloping edges is readilyv guided between the two wings. and prevented from becoming snagged against them.

The tele'scoped closure, 2, has its lower side hinged to a slide member, 6, adapted to slide in the lower side of the box, and the lower forward end of the strap, 4, is attached to the rear end portion of this slide as seen at t". For stopping the follower, 5,:from being drawn'too far out,- that is, any farther than is desirable for protruding the spool or roll far enough to permit it to be conveniently engaged by the hand for completing its Withdrawal, there are mounted in. the corners of the box stop blocks, 7, 7, which collide with the forwardends of the guide wings, 5, when the follower has beenwithdrawn to the desired distance; and the length of the slide, 6, to which the forward end of the strap, 4, is attached as'described, is sufficient only to bring the forward end of said slide at which the lower side of the telescoping closure is hinged, substantiallyeven with the forward end of the box, so that at that position the telescoping closure may swing down out of the way of the further withdrawal of the roll as seen in Fig. 2.

It will be found usually desirable to provide the follower not only with two opposite side wings having the sloping edges described, but to stiffen them by providing a'similar member on the third side connecting them into a three-sided box or rectangular tube having one side cut away telescoping within the tubular box. It is preferable to leave the fourth side open, that is, without the wing for the purpose of a clutch which it is desirable to provide to engage the head of the spool or music roll when it is thrust back into the box. Such catch consists of the spring member, 8, comprising two sides bars which are roofed in two opposite corner blocks, 7, as seen in Fig. 3, and the cross-bar, 8 which is adapted to engage the spool head as seen in Fig. 1. This spring catch lies under the strap, l, and when the spool is thrust back into position in the box as seen in Fig. 1, it reacts to fold the strap up. around the lower edge of the spool head, engaging the spool head to retain it in the box as seen in Fig. 1.

- Thetelescoping closure, 2, is preferably provided with a lug, 2, by which it may bemanipulated for withdrawing it initially from thebox to thrust the spool. out of position shown in Fig. 2.

, I claim :v

1. A container comprising a tubular box having one open end, and a strap having one end secured to the body. of the box at a distance forward from the opposite end, and adapted'to extend thence within. the box back toward said opposite end for encompassing the dischargeablecontents of the box, and thence forward to the open end; and a catch for engaging the box contents, the strap being engaged with the catch for disengaging it by the initial withdrawing and content-expelling movement.

2. A container for a longitudinally-rigid article consisting of a tubular box having one open end, a telescoping closure for that end; a catch in the box for engaging the contained article when the latter is fully thrust into the box; a strap secured to the box and extending from its securement back from the open end for passing about the inner end of the contained article, and thence forward to the open end and in its course masking the engaging end of the catch, and at the forward end connected with the telescop-' ing closure and accessible exteriorly thereof for simultaneously drawing the strap taut around the inner end of the article and between the same and the masked catch, and withdrawing the telescoping closure.

3. A container comprising a tubular box having an open end and a telescoping 010- sure for that end; a follower for expelling the contents positioned at the inner end of the box; a flexible connector connected to one side of the box and extending thence away from the open end between the follower of the opposite end of the box, free for sliding in the direction of its own length on the surface of the follower which is toward the opposite end of the box and thence forward along the opposite side of the box, and connected to the telescoping closure for starting the contents out by the withdrawing movement of the closure.

d. In the structure defined in claim- 3, the follower having guide-wings lying respectively along two opposite sides of the box, and dimensioned for sliding between the other two opposite sides for holding the follower against tipping as it is movedbyor against the flexible connector.

5'. In the construction defined in claim 3, the follower having at two opposite sides guide wings extending toward the open end of the box and lying respectively along the two opposite sides of the box, dimensioned as to width for sliding between the two other opposite sides of the box to prevent the follower from tipping, the forward edge of said guide wings being widely notched for encounter with the round ends of a roll for which the box is designed.

6. In the construction defined in claim 3, blocks secured in the corners of the box outside of the dimensions of a cylinder which the box is adapted to receive for stopping the follower in its withdrawal movement at a predetermined point. i

7. In the construction defined in claim 3 foregoing, a follower having guide-wings lying respectively along two opposite sides of the box, and blocks secured tothe corners of the box outside of the dimensions of a cylinder which the box is adapted to receive, for stopping the follower by encounter of said guide-Wings with said block in the withdrawal movement of the follower at a predetermined point in said movement.

8. In the construction defined in claim 3 foregoing, it spring-operated latch in the box for engaging the head of a roll which may constitute the contents; the flexible connector extending from the follower past the position of thrust of said head and past the engaging head of the latch for its connection with the telescoping closure; where by the withdrawal of the telescoping closure tends to deflect the latch out of engagement with said roll head While forcing the follower against the head to expel the roll.

9. In the construction defined in claim 3 foregoing, the follower having its opposite edges around which the flexible connector is 

